“Let me be represented as one who trusts his senses, who thinks he knows the things he sees and feels, and entertains no doubts of their existence.” -- Bishop Berkeley

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Friday, May 01, 2009

Lecture at Yeshiva University

So today, I gave a lecture on capital theory at Yeshiva University. For some reason, on the subway ride uptown, all I could think of was, 'Damn, I need some almotriptan malate tablets!' I can't understand why.

When I got up to 181st Street, I discovered I was in an Hispanic neighborhood. Naturally, I assumed that my audience would be mostly Hispanic.

My lecture was at the 'WILF' campus, as the school wisely decided to keep me away from the 'MILF' campus a few blocks to the south.

Much to my surprise (see note on 'Hispanic neighborhood' above), who showed up for my lecture but a whole bunch of Jewish blokes? It must be my connection to Israel Kirzner!

I thought of stopping at Lake Como Pizza afterwards, but decided pizza from the heart of a lake would be a little soggy.

Feeble attempt at 'humor' indeed. But, you may be glad to know, your attempts at logical argument are much less feeble. Still chewing on those two essays (the third I did not read in toto, since my background in formal logic is atrocious).

Very much enjoyed your lecture.Looking forward to seeing you return. I hope you can encourage other austrians/libertarian lecturers to come visit our little school. I've encountered a lack in classical liberal thought at this school. Fortunately, James Otteson is teaching 'Capitalism & Morality' next fall, that should be nice.

We also lack decent pizza/food at decent prices at YU. The Golan Heights restaurant does have a mean chicken/lamb shish kebab, recommended.

Thank you, James... I guess. I think that, perhaps, Salmon's "Rational Prediction" was most decisive in the defeasement of Popperianism in modern philosophy of science. I think Salmon nailed this -- Popper, while setting out to defend that rationality of science against Marxism, Freudianism, astrology, etc., had painted himself into a corner where he could give no good reason why scientific predictions should carry any more weight than chicken-entrails predictions, since, by his own standards, "past success is no guarantee (or even hint at) future success."

Ha! Unfortunately, I'm good at it and it pays my bills and allows me to ruin the economy by saving money and buying modest amounts of gold. And it gives me the opportunity to meet interesting people and possibly, maybe, effect some positive change... So my learning will have to be limited to the short academic articles and books of modest length for the time being...

But, my question is serious: is what we are left with little more than an arbitrary decision about what assumptions we want to make about the world? Such as: we have to assume that we live in a regular, comprehensible universe, since the alternative is to simply give up all inquiry? We have to assume there is a Truth we can approximate by human reason, even though there may just as well not be such a thing after all?